PeskyWabbits 464 Posted November 23, 2016 Report Share Posted November 23, 2016 I got 5 new hens recently. They arrived with red spider mite, so I quarantined them in a separate run and hut, daily bedding swap and cleaning out. Got rid of the mites. Plenty of eggs. All dead this morning. Fox came through neighbour's garden. This has always been the weak side and she had a gardening team trimming her hedges last week, making a path for the orange monster. Cute little animals that play on trampolines need feeding. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peterhunter86 8,627 Posted November 23, 2016 Report Share Posted November 23, 2016 Thats a cnut pal im sure he be back to get what he didnt eat make sure your waiting for him. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeskyWabbits 464 Posted November 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2016 Was going to use a flag stone and a stick tied to a dead hen, but I am too weedy to move the stone into the run. Don't want to squash the neighbour's cat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bird 9,594 Posted November 23, 2016 Report Share Posted November 23, 2016 Thats a cnut pal im sure he be back to get what he didnt eat make sure your waiting for him. deff mate, either shoot/trap the fecker or leave a rottie out there , they are quite dogs, dont make much noise , they soon creep up on it . and wallop 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peterhunter86 8,627 Posted November 24, 2016 Report Share Posted November 24, 2016 Thats a cnut pal im sure he be back to get what he didnt eat make sure your waiting for him. deff mate, either shoot/trap the fecker or leave a rottie out there , they are quite dogs, dont make much noise , they soon creep up on it . and wallop Leave big buck out there soon sort it lol. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jok 3,036 Posted November 24, 2016 Report Share Posted November 24, 2016 Did you follow my tale of woe? Same subject. Think the total was 46. I had defo had enough so the rim fire came out after trying to trap with no success. Them little bullets do the trick. Took out 3 in one night. Incidentally, he was coming in from the neighbours but at about 2 metres off the ground through the tiniest hole you can imagine. They are tenacious b*****ds. Good fortune getting him and don't be despondent. Get some more birds. There's a flock being given away somewhere on here at 13 months old. Jok. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
neil cooney 10,415 Posted November 24, 2016 Report Share Posted November 24, 2016 If they were in a run I'll presume he got in a hole somewhere (unless the wire was low) so stick a snare on it. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeskyWabbits 464 Posted November 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2016 Thanks for the replies. I will replace them in time. It is tricky getting a fence up in that location as it borders Mrs Nextdoor (her real name too) as she doesn't like the look of Stalag Luft Henrun as it is. I only have an air rifle so revenge is limited. What is the legal position of using a catapult and marbles or CV joint bearings? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jok 3,036 Posted November 24, 2016 Report Share Posted November 24, 2016 What the eye doesn't see the heart doesn't grieve over. Let rip pal. Jok. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
neil cooney 10,415 Posted November 25, 2016 Report Share Posted November 25, 2016 Are you saying that the hens were free range when the fox struck ? And are you really suggesting a catapult for a fox ? Why not make a massive catapult and use a Rottweiler as ammo, LOL. The saying "closing the stable door after the horse has bolted" spring to mind. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fat man 4,740 Posted November 25, 2016 Report Share Posted November 25, 2016 poor hens were doomed from the word go,put up a proper run,pen or forget keeping hens and just use the supermarket for your eggs. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeskyWabbits 464 Posted November 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2016 I was on rat patrol last night and came to face with the fox. I now know his route. He climbs atop Mrs Nextdoor's summerhouse then drops in over the 7 foot run fence. The roof mesh has a hole here. Runs through the two connecting compounds, Then goes up a diagonal tree trunk and drops down over the 6 foot fence The hen run is forty foot by twenty foot with 6-7 foot chicken wire fences, a wall running down part of it, a channel 2 foot deep and 2 foot wide with York stone filling it. 3 hens sleep in a tall hawthorn - untouched. 5 ex-hens were in a hut but I had left the door open. He can't get in the Duck Run yet - that is a 100 x 12 foot mesh box. Made from building site barriers, with a mesh roof. Again a 2 foot wide, 2 foot deep channel. Then sheep netting pinned flat on the ground that the grass has grown through. Even though he saw me, he still dropped down, then did a full circuit of the outer perimeter, with me stood inside. I was terrified. This is a fox, not a wolf. He showed no fear whatsoever. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
forest of dean redneck 11,190 Posted November 27, 2016 Report Share Posted November 27, 2016 Terrified of a Fox? You must be on the windup or trolling ,fox is just a big cat ! Time to be panicky is when your looking at the woodland floor at deer sign look up an there's a wild boar 50yd away. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeskyWabbits 464 Posted November 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2016 I was terrified. Not used to this. Also terrified he would get in and slaughter my ducks in front of me. The foxes I normally see in the countryside, shy away from any sign of humans. In the towns they just sit sunning on the tarmac. Anyway, the 'milk tray' escapades of the previous night must have been for my benefit. I was doing some run maintenance and I found his real route. Very clever. In from next door again but there is a gap between some sheep fencing and the hen run border. He runs along then as it gets to a corner there is a gap where mesh rolls would have met at one time. I don't have any snares, so I fastened the wire then put a mesh panel (11' wide by 6' high) across it. It is rigid at the base but floppy near the top so he can't get a grip. I have sealed off the second inner run. If he drops down, he can't get out. I have put a load of fox repellent down as well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mushroom 12,388 Posted November 27, 2016 Report Share Posted November 27, 2016 Shoot it inbetween the eyes with your air rifle... it'll not come back anytime soon ??? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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